9th January 1875
Last Will of Patrick Meagher
From records of Notary Louis-Silfroy Laroche
No. 60
Quebec Archives Online

Before me the undersigned Notary Public duly admitted, commissioned, and sworn, residing at the Parish of St. Ambroise de La Jeune Lorette in the Dominion of Canada in the Province of Quebec, personally came and appeared Mr. Patrick Maher, Farmer, residing in the parish of St. Catherines, in the County of Portneuf, who enjoying his mental faculties as it appeared to me the said Notary, and the witnesses hereinafter mentioned by his discourses and proposals and considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the moment thereof, has requested me the said Notary to receive and make out his solemn will and testament which he has dictated to me word by word, as follows namely – 

1º I recommend my soul to God Almighty and pray his Divine Mercy to forgive my sins and to receive my soul in his heavenly kingdom. 

2º I give and bequeath unto Mary Meagher, School Teacher, residing in the Parish of Valcartier, one of my daughters, all goods moveable and immoveable of which I may die possessed, whatever may be their nature and amount and in whatever place they may be situated at the charge by the said Mary Meagher to pay all my funeral expenses out of that legacy.

To have and to hold the same after my said decease, as she thinks proper and as of anything to her appertaining, instituting her my universal legatee. 

3º I name and appoint to execute my present will and testament the person of the said Mary Meagher, in the hands of whom I leave my said goods according to Law. 

For thus done and passed at St. Catherine aforesaid at the residence of the said Testator under the Notarial Number sixty in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy five, the ninth day of January in the afternoon; and the present will and testament having been read to the said Testator in the actual presence of Thomas Buggy and Michael Fogarty, Farmers, both of the parish of St. Catherine’s, in the said County of Portneuf witnesses to these presents, he declared to understand it well and such was his will. 

In testimony which the said Testator has signed these presents together with the said witnesses and me the said undersigned Notary, according to Law. 

Patrick Meagher, his signature

Thomas Buggy, his signature

Michael Fogarty, his signature,

Ls. S. LaRoche, N.P., his signature 

[Translated and transcribed by Gerry Neville] 

Notes by Patricia Balkcom:  We are not sure, but we believe this is Patrick, the husband of Ellen Donovan.